City Council decided on Sept. 1 to once again postpone a vote on allowing the Austin Police Department to reinstate use of its automated license plate reader program. The department already owns 20 ALPR cameras and previously contracted with Vigilant Solutions to manage the software side – primarily the database of license plate images captured by ALPR cameras, which officers query if they suspect a vehicle is connected to a criminal investigation. APD describes the technology as a "force multiplier" to help expedite criminal investigations amid its staffing shortage, but privacy advocates describe it as enabling mass state surveillance.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2022-09-09/council-recap-no-deal-on-license-plate-readers/

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